JPH07281747A - Traveling controller for automated guided vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the traveling controller for an automated guided vehicle capable of executing the exact and sure traveling control of the automated guided vehicle without strictly adjusting the vehicle and a floor. CONSTITUTION:Absolute coordinates are allocated into an area where An AGV 10 travels and by expressing the arrangement of a traveling guide control means composed of guide lines and mark plates arranged inside that area and a traveling control sensor means as a sensor provided on the AGV 10 for those elements as numerical data, the respective means are virtually handled. The AGV 10 is provided with a global data storage part 24 for storing map data concerning the virtual guide lines and the virtual mark plates and an AGV controller 20 for calculating the virtual positions of respective sensors from the detected traveling position of the AGV 10, guiding the AGV along the virtual guide lines by comparing the positional relation between the virtual guide lines or the like and their virtual sensors, and instructing the traveling by detecting the virtual mark plates.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a traveling control device for an automated guided vehicle, and more particularly to an automated guided vehicle that allows the automated guided vehicle to travel favorably without the trouble of setting a means for guiding and instructing the automated guided vehicle. The present invention relates to a vehicle travel control device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in a conventional electromagnetic induction type automatic guided vehicle (hereinafter referred to as AGV) used in a production factory or the like, a method for detecting a lateral displacement and a traveling route (hereinafter referred to as a route) with respect to a traveling direction. As such, a travel control device as shown in FIG. 11 has been used.

FIG. 11 is a schematic view of a partial cross section of the AGV 1 and the floor 2 as seen from the traveling direction of the AGV 1. On the floor 2, as guide control means for guiding the AGV 1 to control traveling, a guide wire (or a ferrite tape) 3 and an AGV 1 which are provided along a route and through which an alternating current flows, and the AGV 1 are stopped,
A mark plate 4 is embedded at a position where speed switching, traveling mode switching, and the like should be performed, and a traveling direction is instructed.
The guide wire 3 and the mark plate 4 form magnetic lines of force, respectively. On the other hand, the AGV 1 is provided with a guide sensor 5 and a mark plate sensor 6 that detect the guide wire 3 and the mark plate 4, respectively.

The traveling control of the AGV 1 will be described below.

The AGV 1 normally travels along a guide line 3 arranged on the travel route. The inductive sensor 5 is adapted to generate an induced voltage by a change in magnetic flux generated by an alternating current flowing through the induction wire 3. The horizontal distance between the AGV 1 and the guide wire 3 calculated from this induced voltage is detected as the amount of deviation. Therefore, this shift amount is detected sequentially,
The AGV1 is guided in the correct direction by controlling it so that it falls within a certain fixed range.

The mark plate sensor 6 is an AGV.
When the presence of the mark plate 4 is detected while traveling 1,
The GV1 operates according to traveling instructions such as predetermined stop, speed switching, traveling mode switching, and the like.

In this way, the sensors 5 and 6 mounted on the AGV 1 are installed on the floor 2, the guide wire 3 and the mark plate 4 are installed.
The traveling control of the AGV 1 is performed by sensing the.

[0008]

However, in the conventional structure in which the deviation amount is detected by the magnitude of the induced voltage caused by the change of the magnetic flux, the temperature characteristic of the induction oscillator of the current flowing through the induction wire is Calculated from the induced voltage detected by the induction wire sensor due to variations in the current of the induction wire, the depth of the groove in which the induction wire is installed, variations in the vertical distance between the induction wire sensor due to undulations on the floor, etc. The amount of deviation changes greatly. Therefore, their coordination in the field is extremely important and time-consuming.

Further, since the mark plate sensor has to detect the presence of the mark plate during traveling of the AGV, it is extremely important and troublesome to adjust the positional relationship between the mark plate sensor and the mark plate and the vertical distance.

As described above, the sensitivity of each sensor varies depending on the vertical distance between the AGV and the floor.
In the conventional travel control device, there is a problem that strict adjustment is required on site between the AGV and each constituent element provided on each floor on which the AGV travels, which is very troublesome.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to accurately and surely control the traveling of an automatic guided vehicle without strictly adjusting the automatic guided vehicle and the floor. An object is to provide a traveling control device for an automated guided vehicle that enables it.

[0012]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention according to claim 1 is a travel control device for causing an automatic guided vehicle to travel in a region along a travel route, wherein the travel route is The positions of the traveling guidance control means provided along the route for instructing and instructing traveling of the unmanned guided vehicle and the traveling control sensor means provided on the unmanned guided vehicle for detecting the traveling guidance control means are allocated to the region. Each of them is virtually provided by being represented by numerical data on the obtained absolute coordinates, and the traveling guidance control means is detected by comparing the positions of the traveling guidance control means and the traveling control sensor means. .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the traveling control device for traveling the unmanned guided vehicle according to the first aspect, there is provided data storage means for storing numerical data representing an arrangement of the traveling guidance control means, and the detected one. The position of the travel control sensor means is calculated from the travel position of the automatic guided vehicle, and the travel guidance control means is detected by comparing the positional relationship between the virtually provided travel control sensor means and the travel guidance control means. And a controller that operates.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the traveling control device for traveling the automatic guided vehicle according to the first aspect, the controller controls the automatic guided vehicle from the traveling guide control means for guiding the automatic guided vehicle. The shift amount is calculated from the position shift and the azimuth shift.

[0015]

In the traveling control device for the automatic guided vehicle according to the present invention having the above-mentioned structure, the absolute coordinates are assigned to the area where the automatic guided vehicle travels. The positions of the travel guidance control means and the travel control sensor means are represented as numerical data on absolute coordinates and are virtually provided.

Since the position detecting means detects the traveling position of the automatic guided vehicle, it is possible to calculate the position of the automatic guided vehicle on the absolute coordinates.

The controller compares the positional relationship between the virtual travel guidance control means represented as numerical data and the travel control sensor means virtually provided in the automatic guided vehicle to compare the travel guidance control means. To guide and guide the automatic guided vehicle. Therefore, the travel guidance control means and the travel control sensor means are physically unnecessary, so that the adjustment is not troublesome and the change can be easily made.

Since the deviation amount of the automatic guided vehicle is calculated from the positional deviation and the direction deviation from the virtual travel guidance control means for guiding the automatic guided vehicle by the virtual travel control sensor means, the deviation amount is Accurate calculation without being affected by undulations such as floors.

[0019]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the AGV 10 in this embodiment. The AGV 10 according to the present embodiment has a three-wheel configuration, and one front wheel 12a has each motor 14
Steering and driving are performed by a and 14b. One rear wheel 12b is steered by a motor 14c, and the other rear wheel 12c is a caster wheel. Each motor 14a, 14
b and 14c have encoders 16a, 16b and 1 respectively.
6c is attached. Encoders 16a, 16c
And the motors 14a and 14c are steering two-axis servo amplifier 1
8a, the encoder 16b and the motor 14b are for driving 1
Each is connected to the axis servo amplifier 18b. Furthermore,
The AGV10 is usually composed of a computer, and
It has an AGV controller 20 that detects the traveling position of V10 and controls traveling. The AGV controller 20 is an AG
The current AGV from the driving information obtained by driving V10
A travel control unit 22 that calculates the position of the vehicle 10 and corrects the traveling direction when the AGV 10 deviates from the route; and a global data storage unit 24 that stores map data and the like regarding the arrangement of travel guidance control means described in detail later, Have.

The characteristic of the present embodiment is that absolute coordinates are allocated in the area in which the AGV 10 travels, and information used for traveling control such as guide line and mark plate arrangements arranged in the area is stored as coordinate data. It is expressed as numerical data. The global data storage unit 24 stores this numerical data. Further, the travel control sensor means provided in the AGV 10 for detecting the travel guidance control means, and in the present embodiment, information about the guidance sensor and the mark plate sensor for detecting the guide wire and the mark plate respectively is expressed as numerical data such as coordinate data. That is. The position of these travel guidance control means and travel control sensor means,
Since the size and the like can be represented by numerical values, it is possible to virtually arrange the guide line, the mark plate, the sensor for detecting these, and the like, without physically arranging them. It is possible to control the traveling of the AGV 10 by comparing and determining the position on the absolute coordinates of the virtually provided means.

FIG. 2 shows AGV10 of the data stored in the global data storage unit 24 and necessary for traveling control.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of map data relating to a traveling guidance control means for guiding and controlling traveling, data in the present embodiment relating to a guiding line and a mark plate, and their relations.
The map data in this embodiment includes route type data, route data, and derailment detection range data, and information about a guide line that is virtually installed (hereinafter referred to as a virtual guide line) and mark plate data that is virtually installed. Information regarding a mark plate (hereinafter, referred to as a virtual mark plate) to be generated.

The route type data indicates the wiring form of the virtual guide line on which the AGV 10 travels, and is a straight line representing straight travel, an arc representing curving, a point representing spin on the spot, and the like.
The route data is information regarding the route on which the AGV 10 travels, and is data regarding the starting point and the ending point of the route, and the position and angle of the center of the arc in the case of arc traveling. The relationship between these data is shown in FIG. Derailment detection range data is A
The GV10 is data regarding an allowable range in which the vehicle deviates from the virtual guide line and is regarded as a derailment, and the relationship with the virtual guide line is shown in FIG. The mark plate data is data on the center position and size of the virtual mark plate. The relationship between these data is shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a view showing a travel control sensor means (hereinafter referred to as a virtual guidance sensor and a virtual mark plate sensor) virtually arranged in the AGV 10 for detecting the virtual guidance line and the virtual mark plate, respectively. .
In the figure, the AGV 10 has a machine base origin indicating the center of the AGV 10 and five virtual induction sensors 26a on four sides thereof,
26b, 26c, 26d, 26e, and two virtual mark plate sensors 28a on the front left side and the rear right side, respectively.
28b, 28c, and 28d are virtually arranged. It should be noted that each virtual sensor 26a on the AGV 10-
Data such as positions and sizes of 26e and 28a to 28d are
It is stored in the global data storage unit 24.

Detection of Traveling Position of AGV In the present embodiment, as described above, the virtual guide line is compared with the virtual guide sensor, and the virtual mark plate and the virtual mark plate sensor are compared in absolute coordinate position. And detecting a virtual mark plate. Here, since the virtual guide line and the virtual mark plate are virtually installed in the area, their arrangement can be obtained from the map data stored in the global data storage unit 24. On the other hand, the positions of the virtual induction sensor and the virtual mark plate sensor can be calculated by grasping the positions of the traveling AGV 10 on the absolute coordinates. Hereinafter, detection of the traveling position of the AGV 10 will be described.

The traveling instruction information is usually realized by software, and the AGV 10 travels based on the traveling instruction information input in advance. When the traveling starts, the AGV controller 20 issues a steering and driving instruction pulse based on the instruction of the traveling instruction information and sends the traveling instruction to the servo amplifiers 18a and 18b. The servo amplifiers 18a and 18b steer or drive the front wheels 12a and the rear wheels 12b based on the command pulse.

On the other hand, as the AGV 10 travels,
The AGV controller 20 includes servo amplifiers 18a and 18a.
The steering pulse and the drive pulse, which are the outputs of the encoders 16a, 16b, and 16c, are obtained via b. Travel control unit 22
Calculates the actual measurement value of the AGV 10 traveling with the steering pulse and the driving pulse. If you know the position of the start point where the AGV 10 started running, you can
The traveling position of the GV10 can be calculated. The steering pulse and the drive pulse are normally collected every 50 milliseconds, and the current position of the AGV 10 is immediately calculated. AGV
When the controller 20 grasps the current position of the AGV 10, the traveling direction is appropriately corrected by the amount of deviation of the AGV 10 from the traveling route, which will be described in detail later.

In this way, since the traveling position of the AGV 10 on the absolute coordinates can be grasped, the positions of the virtual induction sensor and the virtual mark plate sensor virtually arranged in the AGV 10 can be calculated.

Further, in detecting the traveling position of the AGV 10, an optical fiber gyro 30 is provided for more accurate detection so that the azimuth can be corrected.

Since the encoder gyro has accumulated errors, it is necessary to correct these accumulated errors. As a means for the correction, for example, the laser distance measuring device 3 is used.
It is possible to use 2. However, as long as an absolute position can be accurately measured at any time, it may not be used as the correction means.

Travel Control of AGV The travel control of the AGV 10 will be described below. The travel control using the travel guidance control means and the travel control sensor means in the present embodiment is mainly to guide the AGV 10 by the virtual guidance line and the virtual guidance sensor and to travel to the AGV 10 by the virtual mark plate and the virtual mark plate sensor. It is roughly divided into instructions. The guidance of the AGV 10 is performed so that the deviation amount of the virtual guidance sensor from the virtual guidance line is calculated and the AGV 10 travels along the virtual guidance line. Also, A
The virtual mark plate sensor detects the virtual mark plate to instruct the GV 10 to travel.

Calculating the amount of deviation Conventionally, the amount of deviation of the AGV 10 was determined by the magnitude of the induced voltage corresponding to the amount of deviation of the horizontal distance between the guide wire and the induction sensor. The amount of deviation is obtained from the positional deviation that is the horizontal distance from the virtual induction sensor and the azimuth deviation in the traveling direction of the AGV 10 with respect to the virtual induction line. The amount of deviation is obtained by the AGV controller 20 as follows.

The amount of deviation E can be obtained from the positional deviation and the azimuth deviation, and can be obtained by the equation of E = ε1 × P_zure + ε2 × θ_zure. It should be noted that P_zure is a positional deviation amount, θ_zure is an azimuth deviation amount, and ε1 and ε2 are parameters that determine the contribution of each deviation, and can be arbitrarily set.

FIG. 7 shows AGV1 when AGV10 runs straight, that is, when it runs along a straight virtual guide line.
8 shows how to calculate the positional deviation and the azimuth deviation and how to calculate the deviation amount. In FIG. 8, when the AGV 10 travels in a curve, that is, when the AGV 10 travels along a circular arc guide line, how to take the positional deviation and the azimuth deviation and The formulas for calculating the deviation amount are shown. In the present embodiment, since the value of the azimuth deviation is used when calculating the deviation amount, one virtual guidance sensor may be provided at any position on the AGV 10, as shown in the figure. Here, since the current traveling position of the AGV 10 is calculated by the method described above, the position (x, y) of the virtual induction sensor on the AGV 10 can be calculated. Therefore, the shift amount of the AGV 10 is calculated by calculating the position (x, y) of the virtual guidance sensor and the virtual guidance line data (x, x) stored in the global data storage unit 24.
_s , y _s ), (x _e , y _e ), etc., and can be calculated from FIGS. The offset in FIGS. 7 and 8 is π between the front portion of the AGV 10 and the traveling direction.
This is a value for correcting a deviation of / 2 unit, and the relationship between the traveling direction and the offset is shown in FIG. This correction is performed because lateral travel is possible in the configuration of the AGV 10 this time.

In this way, the deviation amount of the AGV 10 can be calculated, and the AGV controller 20 changes the traveling direction of the AGV 10 based on the calculated deviation amount so that the position of the AGV 10 is corrected. Control.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the AGV 10 can be run along the running route without physically using the guiding line and the guiding sensor.

Further, the shift amount can be accurately calculated without depending on the vertical distance between the guide wire and the guide sensor.

Detection of Virtual Mark Plate The virtual mark plate sensor can detect the virtual mark plate as follows.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the relationship between the virtual mark plate sensor virtually mounted on the AGV 10 and the virtual mark plate virtually installed on the floor. Figure 10
As described above, by arranging the virtual mark plate sensors in parallel, it is possible to simultaneously obtain travel instructions from the virtual mark plates arranged in parallel. Here, the position and size of the virtual mark plate are stored in advance in the global data storage unit 24 as map data, as described above. on the other hand,
The positions of the virtual mark plate sensors 28a to 28d in absolute coordinates can be obtained in the same manner as the above-described position of the virtual induction sensor. Therefore, AGV10
While the vehicle is traveling, the positions of the virtual mark plate sensors 28a to 28d are sequentially updated. The updated coordinate position of the virtual mark plate sensors 28a to 28d and the range on the coordinates where the virtual mark plate is placed. Virtual mark plate sensor 2 by sequentially comparing and
8a to 28d can detect the presence of the virtual mark plate.

In this way, the virtual mark plate can be detected. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, since the mark plate and the mark plate sensor are not physically used, it is possible to reliably instruct the AGV 10 to travel without depending on the vertical distance between the mark plate and the mark plate sensor.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, instead of the guide wire physically installed on the floor, the mark plate and the physical sensor for detecting them, the absolute coordinates are allocated to the area, and the guide wire and the like are assigned. Are expressed as numerical data and are treated virtually, so that the traveling control of the AGV 10 can be performed more accurately and reliably.

[0042]

According to the present invention, the travel guidance control means and the travel control sensor means used for the travel control of the automatic guided vehicle are expressed as numerical data and are virtual means, so that they are physically arranged. Eliminates the need for placement. Therefore, it becomes possible to reduce equipment costs such as purchase of each means, construction on the floor side, and modification of the automated guided vehicle.

Further, position adjustment for surely detecting the traveling guidance control means, height adjustment of the traveling control sensor means from the floor, adjustment of current value flowing in the guide wire, etc. are unnecessary, and various adjustments are troublesome. It disappears.

Further, since the positions of the traveling guidance control means and the traveling control sensor means are treated as numerical data, it is possible to easily and quickly change the installation location, the number, etc. of each means. Also, the set value can be easily and quickly confirmed by a computer or the like.

Further, in the present invention, since the shift amount is calculated from the position shift and the direction shift, only one travel guidance control means for guiding the automatic guided vehicle is sufficient.

Further, as described above, since the traveling guidance control means and the traveling control sensor means for guiding the automatic guided vehicle are virtually provided, the deviation amount is accurately obtained without depending on the swell of the floor or the like. It becomes possible.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an automated guided vehicle in an embodiment of a travel control device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing map data stored in a global data storage unit in this embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a relationship of route data in the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a relationship between derailment detection range data and a virtual guide line in the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a relation of mark plate data in the present embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a virtual guidance sensor and a virtual mark plate sensor that are virtually arranged on the automatic guided vehicle in the present embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a formula for calculating a positional deviation and an azimuth deviation of an unmanned guided vehicle and a formula for calculating a deviation amount when a straight traveling is performed in the present embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a formula for calculating a positional deviation and an azimuth deviation of an unmanned guided vehicle and a deviation amount when a vehicle travels on a curve in the present embodiment.

9 is a diagram showing how to find an offset in the calculation formulas shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. FIG.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a relationship between a virtual mark plate sensor and a virtual mark plate in the present embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a schematic view of a partial cross section of an automated guided vehicle and a floor when viewed from the traveling direction of the automated guided vehicle in a conventional travel control device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 10 AGV 12a Front wheels 12b, 12c Rear wheels 14a, 14b, 14c Motors 16a, 16b, 16c Encoder 18a Steering 2-axis servo amplifier 18b Driving 1-axis servo amplifier 20 AGV controller 22 Travel control unit 24 Global data storage unit 26a , 26b, 26c, 26d, 26e Virtual induction sensor 28a, 28b, 28c, 28d Virtual mark plate sensor 30 Optical fiber gyro

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A traveling control device for traveling an unmanned guided vehicle in a region along a traveling route, and a traveling guidance control means provided along the traveling route for guiding the unmanned guided vehicle and issuing a traveling instruction. The travel guidance sensor means for detecting the travel guidance control means provided in the automatic guided vehicle and the position of the travel guidance sensor means are represented virtually by numerical data on the absolute coordinates assigned to the area, so that the respective locations are virtually provided and the travel guidance control is performed. A travel control device for an automatic guided vehicle, wherein the travel guidance control means is detected by comparing the positions of the travel control sensor means and the means. 2. The traveling control device for traveling the automatic guided vehicle according to claim 1, wherein data storage means for storing numerical data representing an arrangement of the traveling guidance control means, and a detected traveling position of the automatic guided vehicle. A controller that calculates the position of the traveling control sensor means from the controller and detects the traveling guidance control means by comparing the positional relationship between the traveling control sensor means and the traveling guidance control means that are virtually provided. A traveling control device for an automated guided vehicle, which is characterized in that 3. The travel control device for traveling the automatic guided vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the controller shifts the displacement amount of the automatic guided vehicle from the travel guidance control means for guiding the automatic guided vehicle. A travel control device for an unmanned guided vehicle, which is calculated from the position deviation and the bearing deviation.